My Stuck 6-L226 Willys engine - may Live

Greaser007

Well Oiled
Mar 1, 2019
2,258
Anderson, California
First Name
Leonard
Willys Model
  1. CJ
Willys Year:
  1. 1946
Years ago, I purchased a Willys L226 Hurricane engine and T-90 transmission with D18 t-case. The engine was stuck.

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Above photo - one of my L226's in all of it's Glory, and it had better be happy that I'm giving it a New Home with love. :)

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Above photo - Hurricane speed head casting number. yep a keeper for sure. know why ? it is a High Atitude Head.


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Above photo - looking at the head Stamping, 073, is what I believe to be a special order High-Atitude head.


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Above photo - engine block Serial number stamping R106305.

Here is why I am finally posting this info on this L226 engine: read below
This engine is standarb bore with no ring ridge. This engine did sit out unattended for awhile prior to me giving it a new home.
First thing I did was scratch my head wondering how in the hell I would remove the bellhousing.
So I filled each cylinder with approx 1/8-inch or better of ATF to soak-in.
I have been checking the level for approx 4-yrs now, and, YESTERDAY the levels had finally dropped in the 3-pesky cylinders.
That tells me that the ATF has finally soaked in. There is now a very good chance the pistons will be ready to be removed individually. I hope :)
More later.

If one of you Willy's expert's wishes, let us know what the serial numbers tell us.
 
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I've got that same head on my truck and believe that the 73 indicates that it was a special order (for better performance?) high altitude head because I'm only at 1,000 ft. above sea level here and the truck was sold from the local dealer here (I have the papers!). I'm watching this with great interest to learn about the carb because mine has a mid '80's AMC 232 carb and air cleaner on it and I want to restore it back to the original configuration. I have collected a couple of carbs over the years, but often wondered what intake manifild I'm supposed to have. I have every confidence that my intake is orginal, but no proof. I'm watching this to see what info comes out that I can apply to my situation.. Thanks for posting!
 
High altitude with the 2-barrel WCD was only used in 54 and 55, if I remember correctly. By 56 they went back to the 1-barrel. I’ve seen multiple stories about the red painted engine and have concluded they were rebuilt engines. I’ve had 2-barrel intake manifolds that were painted silver, and mine had a silver water pump, oil pan, intake manifold, and thermostat housing on a red engine. The serial plate was missing and I had a stamped serial number starting with an ‘R’. So, does the ‘R’ stamped at the beginning of the serial number indicate rebuilt? Maybe.
If you’re interested or have a need, I have a set of brand new, still in the Willys box, stock bore pistons.
David
 
I know nothing of the L6-226 Carb differences.
Way back, I did look up the data for the serial number Stamping, but can't remember what year it was.

I've been patiently waiting for that Marvel Mystery to soak in and the level to drop. Maybe the cold temp fluctuation allowed the cast piston to shrink a bunch pulling it away from the cylinder wall FINALLY, allowing the Marvel to soak in. It is about time, and I've been patient.

Following, is a brief history of the last STUCK flathead 4-cyl engine:
My dad's older sister lived with her son, my wife's age, who had cerebral palsy. They had a 380-acre ranch, always needing repair.
My aunt one day decades back, asked me to find her a cheap portable welder. Ok, that was pre-internet, so I watched the local trader paper.
Alas, one popped up so i went in search of, and found an old discrepit Lincoln portable powered by an inline 6-chrysler, flathead not running.
I told the seller I would take it. He promptly said "you're taking the 'other' welder with it."
What ?
He says "yes, that one over there goes with it."
No chit ? So, we walk on over to another Lincoln portable SA-200 with head off and STUCK-TIGHT, on a real nice trailer w/ drop spindle axle.
Nice, but, can the stuck engine be saved and UN-STICKABLE ?

We some how got both welders onto my flatbed trailer with come-along's and ramps.
I desassembled the Chrysler flathead and checked bearings and alll looked good so it got a good crockus-cloth cylinder de-glazing and reassembled. This welder went to the ranch for stand-by use, and was on a home-built trailer.

The snazzy little Lincoln SA-200 on the drop axle trailer got about 1/4-inch of Marvel poured into the top of the pistons, and sat for four years.
One winter, I pulled the SA-200 out of mothballs and into the shop it went.
I very carefully scraped the rust out of the cylinders with the back of a hack-saw blade. Sanding with emery cloth didn't work well.
Surprising enough, the rust on the cylinder walls did scrape out quite well with the hack-saw blade. Kind of impressive really.
Off came the oil pan for an In-Frame Refurb. Each piston pushed out quite easily with a few taps of the hammer and block of wood.
Once I got the cylinder's all de-glazed with emery cloth in a good cross-hatching, the cylinders looked Brans New, no ring grooves either.

I reassembled that little Continental 4-banger after doing a valve job, and it ran like a Singer Sewing machine. (my mom had a Singer). LoL
Every 6 to 8 years I would fire up the Continental, and valves would be stuck from sitting. That meant to that the Magneto and Distributor had to be removed. Removal was necessary to gain access to the points in the mag. on and on for 35-years keeping the welder alive for mostly just the Flavor of a nice old capable welding machine, and for portable use outside of my barn / shop.

I finally parted company with the snazzy Lincoln SA-200 in around year 2021, and sold it to a young chap who was a recent Tech-School grad, and needed an affordable welder. Yes, he was looking for an SA-200 specific. He made all kinds of welds at different settings, and looked up at me and smiled, and said "I think your 200 just found a new home." :)

Stuck engines can have a new After-Life.

I'm sitting here sharing memories of daze gone by, inside out of the stiff and COLD north winds.

Where will I ever find the Time to give this Stuck 226 some much needed attention ? hahaha
 
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